Yassin Fatty, a traditional practitioner of female genital cutting in the West African nation of Gambia, became the first to be convicted there. But her case led to a backlash and a popular campaign to make it legal again.
Tag: Female Genital Mutilation
Gambia Votes to Keep Ban on Female Genital Cutting, in Dramatic Reversal
Lawmakers in the West African country had supported overturning the prohibition, but changed course on Monday after a vociferous campaign led by women.
Sierra Leone Bans Child Marriage With New Law
A new law in the West African country of Sierra Leone allows child brides to annul their marriages and be financially compensated.
Gambia Votes to Overturn Landmark Ban on Female Genital Cutting
Lawmakers in the West African country voted to advance a bill repealing a 2015 ban. If it passes the final round of voting, Gambia will become the first nation to roll back protections against the practice.
Female Genital Cutting Continues to Increase Worldwide
Campaigns in some countries have reduced the practice, but it remains widespread in those with high rates of population growth.
Growing Numbers of Girls Resist Genital Cutting in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is one of a few countries in sub-Saharan Africa that have not banned cutting. Now, young women are defying mothers and grandmothers by refusing to undergo the procedure.
Nawal El Saadawi, Advocate for Women in the Arab World, Dies at 89
An author, physician and champion of equal rights, she was jailed by Anwar Sadat for her activism against the Egyptian government.
Female Genital Mutilation Outlawed in Sudan
A new law criminalizes genital cutting, a harmful practice that nine in 10 Sudanese women are said to have endured. But some warned laws alone cannot eliminate the practice.
4 Women With Lives Scarred by Genital Cutting: Could a Surgeon Heal Them?
Over 200 million women and girls alive today have been circumcised. Four of them shared with The Times their pain, emotional trauma and sexual struggles — and their journey to feel whole.
U.K. Jails Mother for Female Genital Cutting
A Ugandan woman, the first person to be convicted of genital cutting in Britain, received an 11-year sentence, plus two more years for possession of extreme pornography.